Guiding patients and clients on the Optimal Health journey takes many twists and turns. One thing is for sure though, this upcoming super football Sunday and the festivities surrounding it return every year and the negative impact on personal health is inevitable…Or is it?

Don’t think that to be healthy you can’t celebrate and have fun. On the contrary, you can actually have more fun, feel better about yourself, and wake up Monday morning feeling great, even if your team loses.

Here are a few Health and Wellness tips for Super Bowl Sunday snacking:

Plan to exercise in the morning. Make this a new Super Bowl Sunday tradition for you and your family. Getting in a good workout or even a brisk walk will rev up your “engines” for greater caloric expenditure. Let’s face it, if you are like most Americans, you will consume 1200 calories at a Super Bowl party alone. Think you can work it off on Monday? It is possible, but most unlikely because you would have to take a brisk 5 hour walk; play 2.5 hours of intense basketball or soccer; swim laps for 3 hours; do 4 hours of high intensity yard work; or you could plan ahead and make a few better nutrition choices and feel better all around.

Eat a healthy breakfast high in protein and low in calories. This will help you stay full longer.

Have a healthy mid-morning snack like a greek yogurt, protein shake, protein bar, cup of cottage cheese or similar. Don’t “save up” your calories. You want to go to the party in a state of nutritional equilibrium, not a caloric deficit.

Drink plenty of water starting on Friday and into and during the Super Bowl Party. Staying hydrated is one very important health habit because our bodies are more than 60% water. It also gives us a feeling of fullness…which helps us when the decisions begin to be necessary.

At the party, use a small snack plate only and limit your return trips. Plan one on one during the first half and one during the second half.

Avoid cheese sauces and dips. Each table spoon is most likely 50 or more calories of not-so-healthy-nacho-cheese!

Choose snacks higher in protein like chicken wings (rub off some of the sauce and take off the skin), shrimp, lean meats.

Choose whole grain buns and limit the number. If you can go without, do it.

Do you really need the chips? Hit the vegetable tray instead and dip lightly or not at all so you can taste the vegetables. It’s not meant to be a Ranch Dressing Tray.

Drink Moderately. Have water with you at all times and switch from your alcoholic beverage to the water. You don’t want to get dehydrated.

Shrimp with your own sauce using low sugar or no sugar ketchup, horseradish, tabasco, lemon juice.

Sweet Potato Skins

Kale Chips (Homemade by cutting into 2 inch squares, mixed in some olive oil, sprinkle with sea salt or garlic salt, baked in a single layer at 300 for 10 min and flip for 10 min more or until crisp, not burnt.